The sharply priced CX-7 is ready to stir up the soft-roader class, writes JAEDENE HUDSON.

Mazda's 4WD shake-up

The medium-car market received a jolt when Mazda introduced the well-equipped Mazda6 range with a sharp price. Now the Japanese maker is poised to do the same thing in the booming soft-roader market.

Mazda's all-new CX-7 soft-roader went on sale this week, priced almost $5000 less than its nearest rival (and Australia's biggest-selling soft-roader), the Ford Territory.

At $39,910 the CX-7 is only marginally more expensive than Korean-built soft roaders and it is also significantly cheaper than its Japanese competition.

The CX-7 undercuts the cheapest Toyota Kluger by nearly $3000, the Nissan Murano by more than $12,000 and the just-released Subaru Tribeca, by more than $14,000.

Its arrival will surely have grabbed the attention of its rivals but other brands say they are not about to discount just yet.

Despite the sharp pricing Toyota says it won't be discounting any time soon. ''It would take exceptional circumstances for us to change the [pricing] plan, we stick pretty rigidly to it,'' says Toyota Australia spokesman Mike Breen.

''There can be ramifications if you react to what other manufacturers do. Short-term gain can bring long-term pain.''

Ford is also standing firm. ''They [Mazda] are always extremely competitive and we expected them to come at us, we are the class leader, we are the top-selling vehicle,'' says Ford spokeswoman Sinead McAlary.

''We have no immediate plans to change but obviously the market ultimately decides where we price our vehicles.''

The CX-7 is available in two models. The CX-7 Luxury costs from$45,560. Both models have a turbocharged 2.3-litre engine.

TheCX-7looks tall but is lower than most soft-roaders. At 4.6metres it is longer than the Mazda Tribute off-roader and is also wider. Despite the name, the new off-roader seats five only, although the Mazda has confirmed the seven-seat version, called the CX-9, will arrive in Australia in early 2008.

The CX-7 has a slightly detuned version of the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that powers the MPS versions of both the Mazda3 and Mazda6. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission available. It uses a part-time all-wheel-drive system. Mazda says the CX-7 accelerates from rest to 100kmh in 8.5 seconds.